Abstract: A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.

Abstract: A method of processing by controlling one or more beam characteristics of an optical beam may include: launching the optical beam into a first length of fiber having a first refractive-index profile (RIP); coupling the optical beam from the first length of fiber into a second length of fiber having a second RIP and one or more confinement regions; modifying the one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam in the first length of fiber, in the second length of fiber, or in the first and second lengths of fiber; confining the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam within the one or more confinement regions of the second length of fiber; and/or generating an output beam, having the modified one or more beam characteristics of the optical beam, from the second length of fiber. The first RIP may differ from the second RIP.

Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.

Abstract: Disclosed are techniques for generating a laser output beam having a functionally homogenized intensity distribution. According to some embodiments, a population of few modes in a multi-mode confinement core is excited by application of a low-moded source beam to the multi-mode confinement core, such that the population exhibit an unstable intensity distribution. The unstable intensity distribution is functionally homogenized by providing one or both of modulation of phase displacement in the multi-mode confinement core and variation of launch conditions of the low-moded source beam into the multi-mode confinement core.

Abstract: Some embodiments may include a galvanometric laser system, comprising: a laser device to generate a laser beam; an X-Y scan head module to position the laser beam on a work piece, the X-Y scan head module including a laser ingress to receive the laser beam and a laser egress to output the laser beam; a support platen located below the laser egress; an in-machine imaging system integrated with the galvanometric laser, wherein a camera of the in-machine imaging system is arranged to view a surface of an object located on the support platen using one or more optical components of the X-Y scan head module to generate assessment data associated with a calibration of the X-Y scan head module by imaging the surface of the object, wherein a calibration fiducial is located on the surface of the object.

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical source situated to produce a fiducial source beam, and an optical fiducial pattern generator situated to produce with the fiducial source beam at least one transient optical fiducial on a laser processing target that is in a field of view of a laser scanner situated to scan a laser processing beam across the laser processing target, so that a positioning of the laser processing beam on the laser processing target becomes adjustable relative to the at least one transient optical fiducial.

Abstract: A laser system capable of producing a stable and accurate high-power output beam from one or more input beams of corresponding laser sources comprises one or more optical elements configured to receive the input beams wherein at least one of said one or more optical elements is made of high purity fused silica.

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an optical source situated to produce a fiducial source beam, and an optical fiducial pattern generator situated to produce with the fiducial source beam at least one transient optical fiducial on a laser processing target that is in a field of view of a laser scanner situated to scan a laser processing beam across the laser processing target, so that a positioning of the laser processing beam on the laser processing target becomes adjustable relative to the at least one transient optical fiducial.

Abstract: A method of non-ablatively laser patterning a multi-layer structure, the multi-layer structure including a substrate, a first layer disposed on the substrate, a second layer disposed on the first layer, and a third layer disposed on the second layer, the method including generating at least one laser pulse having laser parameters selected for non-ablatively changing the conductivity a selected portion of the third layer such that the selected portion becomes non-conductive, and directing the pulse to the multi-layer structure, wherein the conductivity of the first layer is not substantially changed by the pulse.

Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.

Abstract: An optical power control system includes a laser source to provide an optical beam, a variable beam characteristics (VBC) fiber, and a controller operatively coupled to the VBC fiber and configured to control, in response to information indicating change in optical power of the optical beam, different states of perturbation so as to control optical power density.

Abstract: An optical beam delivery device is configured to generate, from an optical beam, selectable intensity profiles. The device has a first length of fiber having a first refractive index profile (RIP), and a second length of fiber having second RIP that is different from the first RIP. The second length of fiber includes coaxial confinement regions arranged to confine at least a portion of an adjusted optical beam. The confined portion corresponds to an intensity distribution of different intensity distributions. The intensity distribution is established by a corresponding state of different states of perturbation that is applied to the device such that the confined portion is configured to provide, at an output of the second length of fiber, a selected intensity profile of the selectable intensity profiles.

Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.

Abstract: A scanned optical beam is divided so as to form a set of scanned subbeams. To compensate for scan errors, a portion of at least one subbeam is detected and a scan error estimated based on the detected portion. A beam scanner is controlled according to the estimated error so as to adjust a propagation direction of some or all of the set of scanned subbeams. The scanned subbeams with adjusted propagation directions are received by an f-theta lens and directed to a work piece. In typical examples, the portion of the at least one subbeam that is detected is obtained from the set of scanned subbeams prior to incidence of the scanned subbeams to the f-theta lens.

Abstract: Laser pulses from pulsed fiber lasers are directed to an amorphous silicon layer to produce a polysilicon layer comprising a disordered arrangement of crystalline regions by repeated melting and recrystallization. Laser pulse durations of about 0.5 to 5 ns at wavelength range between about 500 nm and 1000 nm, at repetition rates of 10 kHz to 10 MHz can be used. Line beam intensity uniformity can be improved by spectrally broadening the laser pulses by Raman scattering in a multimode fiber or by applying varying phase delays to different portions of a beam formed with the laser pulses to reduce beam coherence.

Abstract: Methods include directing a laser beam to a target along a scan path at a variable scan velocity and adjusting a digital modulation during movement of the laser beam along the scan path and in relation to the variable scan velocity so as to provide a fluence at the target within a predetermined fluence range along the scan path. Some methods include adjusting a width of the laser beam with a zoom beam expander. Apparatus include a laser source situated to emit a laser beam, a 3D scanner situated to receive the laser beam and to direct the laser beam along a scan path in a scanning plane at the target, and a laser source digital modulator coupled to the laser source so as to produce a fluence at the scanning plane along the scan path that is in a predetermined fluence range as the laser beam scan speed changes along the scan path.